Growing the right business leaders for tomorrow

Posted on 10th October 2013

Advice and guidance on how business professionals can grow and develop the leadership talent of tomorrow in their companies is discussed in a new book co-authored and co-edited by a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) at the University of Chester.

Senior business and academic leaders have endorsed the publication, Leadership Assessment for Talent Development, which details how organisations can grow and develop tomorrow’s leaders, in-house.

The book illustrates how CEOs, Directors, Managers and HR professionals can use assessment tools to go far beyond recruitment and selection. The aim is to recognise and develop key individuals as part of a comprehensive talent management and development strategy. Authored by the University of Chester’s Centre for Work Related Studies and LeaderShape, the extensive source material covers well known public and private sector bodies, as well as family firms and small enterprises, collected over 15 years.

Tony Wall is a specialist in personal and organisational transformation at the University’s Centre for Work Related Studies (CWRS). The Centre exists to promote the University's internationally recognised expertise in the field of negotiated, work-based learning.

Tony says: “In conducting research into the leadership needs, strengths and blind spots, we found some fascinating trends which are crucial for everyone dealing with talent management and leadership to know. The book tackles these head on, using leadership assessment as one of the most efficient and effective ways to direct talent management budgets for optimal impact.

“The book is focused on the ‘how to’ of ensuring you obtain every ounce of value from leadership assessments.”

Co-author/co-editor and Chairman/co-founder of LeaderShape, John Knights, said: “Many of today’s leaders reach the organisational pinnacle because they are great at getting there, not because they are a great leader when they arrive. We need to identify and develop those people who will be excellent when they are in the top position.”

Director of LeaderShape and contributing author, Danielle Grant, said: “Business professionals needing to pinpoint future leaders will not want to be without this state-of-the-art blueprint for success. Leadership Assessment for Talent Development goes beyond recruitment to position assessment as a central, strategic activity. It demonstrates how to apply a connected process that accelerates behavioural change and facilitates engagement and enables in-house talent. It is an authentic and essential companion for managers in any field who want to equip their company with talented employees, to be fit for future success.”

Reviewing the publication, Professor Peter Hawkins, of the Henley Business School, said: “Tomorrow's leadership will face far greater challenges than today's privileged generation. We need to be developing tomorrow's leadership now and this book provides many tools, approaches and case studies that can help us with that urgent task.”

Peter Cheese, Chief Executive Officer of the CIPD, who has just been named HR's Most Influential Thinker for 2013, said:“Leadership capabilities at all levels have never been more important in times of great change and uncertainty, and most CEOs will cite leadership as one of their most critical areas of concern. So how do we make sure we are assessing and developing leaders in the best way? Much is changing in this field and this book brings together some of the best thinking, case studies and ideas that help us all better understand and develop leaders for the future.”